Arm reflector for pedestrian protection



pr 4, 1950 E. L. RICHARDS ARM REFLEOTOR FOR REDESTRIAN PROTECTION FiledOct. s, 194e Patented Apr. 4, 1950 ARM REFLECTOR FOR PEDESTRIANPROTECTION Eugene L. Richards, Stepney Depot, Conn.

Application October 3, 1946, Serial No. 700,995

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a reflector which is to be worn on the arm ofa pedestrian or cyclist as a warning to motorists after dark, and hasfor an object to provide a light weight, small, convenient arm bandwhich may be worn on the arm of persons when walking on or near thehighway at night and has light reiiecting means which may be readilyseen at a considerable distance, so that the driver of an approachingautomobile will be warned of their presence.

It has for its further object to provide a device of the type mentionedabove which is strong and durable, and which a pedestrian or cyclistwill find convenient to carry and thus feel freer to use it than hewould a more bulky or less convenient device.

It has for its further object to provide an arm band of a typeheretofore described which is provided With an efficient lightreflecting means so that despite its small size the device will affordmaximum protection.

With the foregoing and other objects in view I have devised theconstruction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part ofthis specification. It is, however, to be understood the invention isnot limited to the specic details of construction and arrangement shown,but may embody various changes and modifications within the scope of theinvention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the device showing the device in the openposition for use;

Fig. 2 is a side view showing the device in the closed position forconvenient carrying;

Fig. 3 is a view looking from the left of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view looking from the bottom of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view of a portion of the device showing the means forsecuring the two gripping arms together;

Fig. 6 is a partial section through the pivoting means of one of thearms;

Fig. 7 is a partial section through the pivoting means showing the otherarm;

Fig. 8 is a section taken substantially on line 8 8 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 9 is a partial section through the pivoting means showing a detailof the pivoting means.

The device comprises a exible spring clamping band comprising two curvedflexible strips or arms I0 and I I composed of spring steel, or plastic,or other suitable material. The strips I0 and I I are pivoted togetherby a rivet I2 so that they may be folded for carrying purposes as shownin Fig. 2, the strips I0 and I I being somewhat rounded or curved incross section, as shown in Fig. 8, so that they will nest together whenin the position shown in Fig. 2, as heretofore described. A series ofnibs or elevations I3, preferably four in number, is provided on the armI I, in positions equally spaced around the pivot hole I4 andequidistant from the pivot I2. The nibs I3 lit into similarly spacedrecesses or depressions I5 in the other arm I I), thus providing a meansfor holding the arms I@ and I I in the open position, as shown in Fig.l, or in closed position or folded together, as shown in Fig. 2. Thespring or resiliency of the arms or side members retain the nibs orelevations i3 in the recesses I5 and thus retain these side memberseither in the open or closed positions, but yield sulciently to permitthe side members to be relatively turned about the pivot between theopen and closed positions. The arms or side members Il! and I I aresubstantially semicircular in shape, the ends opposite the pivot I2being turned outwardly, as at I6, so that the strips or arms iii and IImay be readily slipped around the arm of the wearer. A portion of eachof the arms I0 and II is provided with turned-up edges or ribs, as atI'I, to form a recess or depression in which the reflecting means issecured. These raised edges or ribs provide raised or outwardlyextending protective walls surrounding the recesses or depressions toprotect the edges of the light reflecting material mounted in therecesses, as will presently be described.

The reflecting means i8 comprises a strip composed of paper or othersimilar flexible backing material on which is cemented a surface layerof very small glass beads I'Si held sby cellulose or similar waterproofcement. This is cemented to the outer surfaces of members I0 and i I bysuitable cement. The beads cover the entire reiiecting surfaces,although they are shown on only a portion of them in the drawing tosimplify it. Also the thickness of the various elements are greatlyexaggerated on the drawings over what they would be in actualconstruction. This refleeting material is in common use on highway postsand other similar locations. A very satisfactory material is that knownas Scotchlite, and may be purchased on the market under this name. Thereflecting material may be provided in various arrangements of colors,an example of which, shown in Fig. 3, would lbe a green strip I8a with awhite background. Through the use of various colors and designsarrangements, it is possible to standardize the type of reflector whichwould be worn by pedestrians or cyclists and the like, thereby enablingthe driver of an automobile to identify the wearer as such. The portionsia and 20a are sectioned to indicate the color green, but of coursecould be any color desired. It is clear that since the reflectingsurface is placed around the curved strips or arms l and ll that thereecting material I8 would reect light coming from the front, back orside. It is also clear that as the reecting material seats in a recess,as heretofore described, it is protected by the rib or flangeso that theedges of the material are protected from being frayed or broken byrubbing against other objects.

An additional, reflecting piece 20 isV placed in the form of a bulls-eyeover the rivet l2'- and is secured in place by being cemented to awasher 2| composed of paper or other similar material, the washer 2l inturn being cemented to the arm l! around the rivet opening. Thus whenthe arms are turned around the pivot between the open and closedpositions, relative turning of the rivet l will not damage thereflector, since the reflector 20 is not in contact with 'the rivet. Thehead 12a of the rivet is preferably countersunl and flat. Theyreflecting bulls-eye 2i! may also be in different'colors or designs toenable identification of the wearerl A suggested form, shown in Fig. 4,comprises half the bullseye 20a being green, for example, andthe otherhalf being white. This member 20 is also prefer'- ably mounted in adepression or surrounded by a raisedl rib or flange 2'2 to protect theedges of the reflecting material 2U.

It is clear with this device being small and compact, the-wearer mayconveniently carry the device in the pocket or pocket-book, or it may beconveniently carried in the glove compartment of a car, and because ofthis convenience it is more apt to be worn than would a more bulkydevice. However, in spite of its small size, the maximum of protectionis afforded through the use of an efcient reecting means, as it may beeasily seen at a considerable distance, giving ample'warning to thedriver of the car. It may even be readily seen through fog. Thetransverse curvature of the members and the reflecting means, asindicated in Fig. 8, increases the angles at which the reflected lightmay be seen.

Having" thus set forth thenature of myinvention, I claim:

1. An arm reflector of the character described comprising twolongitudinally curved flexible resilient band members overlapped at oneend and with a` rivet pivoting said endstogether to permit the membersto swing relative to each other in vsubstantially the planes of thebands between ak closed position closely nested one on the other insubstantially parallel relation and an open position in alignmentr toembrace the arm of the wearer, the outer head of the rivet being flatand in substantially the plane of the outer surface of the member, saidsurface being formed with a depression surrounded by raised protectivewalls, a washer secured in the depres sion over the rivet head, a brightlight reflecting material over the Washer Within said walls, and acovering of bright light reflecting material on the outer surfaces ofsaid members extending for a substantial portion of the length of eachmember, and said reflecting material being :dexible so that it can bendwith the bands without breaking.

2. An arm reector of the character described comprising twolongitudinally curved flexible resilient band members overlapped andpivoted together, :at one end to swing relative to each other in.substantially the planes of the bands between a closed position closelynested one on the other in substantially parallel relation and an openposition in alignment to embrace the arm of the wearer, cooperatingmeans on the overlapped portions to yieldingly lock the members ineither position, the outer surfaces of said members being formed withdepressions extending for a substantial portion of the length of eachmember and surrounded by raised protective walls, the outer overlappedend being provided -with a depression around the pivot surrounded byraised'protective walls, and alight reflecting covering means cementedin and covering substantially the whole surface of each depressioncomprising a flexible backing capable of flexing with the band withoutbreaking and with its outer surface covered with reflecting beads andarranged with its edges within the raised walls to be protected thereby.

EUGENE L. RICHARDS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are ofA record in the file ofthis patent:`

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Namev Date 836,087 Callahan Nov. 20, 19052,078,103 Simmons Api. 20, 1937 2,123,478 Smith July 12, 1938 2,317,227Sherwood Apr. 20, 1943 2,330,843 Rodli et al. Oct. 5, 1943 2,351,087VVelsliV June 1.3i, 1944 2,383,884 Palmquist` Aug. 28, 1945 2,413,748Cofn Jan. 7, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 26,123 GreatBritain of 19:13y 264,328l Great Britain Jan. 20, 1927 188,868Switzerland Apr. 16, 1937v

